Join the Richmond Sanctuary Board

Are you interested in making your voice heard and representing your community?

We are looking for sanctuary-seeking residents in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames to represent their communities and get involved in decision-making by joining our Sanctuary Board. A sanctuary seeker is someone who has experienced forced migration in the past five years.

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About the board

In 2024, Richmond was accredited as a Borough of Sanctuary. We are committed to welcoming sanctuary seekers and ensuring that they feel safe and have access to opportunities and any support they need to thrive in their new home. As part of this commitment, the Richmond Sanctuary Board meets to oversee key actions and commitments to ensure that our borough is inclusive for all.

Who can apply

We are searching for a diverse range of voices to reflect Richmond’s community. In particular, we are looking for people with lived experience of:

• Being an asylum seeker
• Being an unaccompanied asylum-seeking child
• Being subject to No Recourse to Public Funds
• Arriving in the UK on a resettlement scheme e.g. Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy (ARAP) or Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme (ACRS)
• Arriving in the UK as part of the Homes for Ukraine Scheme

If we receive multiple applications, priority will be given to applicants currently living in the borough, and to applicants who currently meet the criteria. Applicants who live in Richmond and who have past experience are also welcome to apply.

In this intake round we are particularly interested in hearing from Richmond residents who arrived in the UK as part of the Homes for Ukraine scheme, and people with experience of seeking asylum.

What's involved

You will attend regular meetings to help shape actions in Richmond to support and welcome sanctuary seekers.

You will be expected to be involved for at least a year, attending up to eight meetings per year. These may be a mix of in-person meetings at a Richmond or Twickenham location and online. Meetings are one hour long. You will read information before meetings, and come ready to share your opinions and feedback.

While we don’t expect you to attend every meeting, we would like you to commit your energy to the group as much as you can.

We will provide money to cover travel expenses and any other access-related costs (e.g. child care) to help you attend meetings. English language support and training opportunities will also be available.

Your role

As a member of Richmond Sanctuary Board, you will:

• Act as a critical friend to the board by giving your opinion on our plans
• Help decide which projects get funded as part of the Borough of Sanctuary Grant Scheme
• Use your experience and knowledge of your community to shape the board’s work
• Contribute to a culture of collaboration, innovation and continuous improvement

How to apply

If this opportunity appeals, we would love to hear from you.

Please apply online by 11.59pm on Wednesday 12 February 2025.

If you would prefer to send us a video of yourself answering the questions, please email us at boroughofsanctuary@richmond.gov.uk so we can facilitate this.

Your information will only be used for the purpose of selecting a representative to join the Richmond Sanctuary Board. Any information provided will be handled sensitively and confidentially.

Start application

We will review applications from Thursday 13 February 2025. Successful applicants will be contacted by Friday 21 February.

Contact

If you have any questions about this opportunity please contact boroughofsanctuary@richmond.gov.uk to find out more.